With sales at an all-time high, the popularity of the Jeep TJ® as an everyday vehicle is more wide spread than it ever has been. Their utility and convenience in hauling items coupled with the ability of the vehicle to get into and out of off road locations have made them a popular alternative to other vehicles. Another attractive feature of the vehicle is the ability to remove the driver's and passenger's door for real off-roading adventures or for summertime driving. However, when the doors are removed, the interior vehicle lights remain on at all times due to the door switches being activated. This forces the user to remove the fuse from the vehicle fuse box to disable the lights. While this method works, it is very inconvenient, and places repeated stress and strain on the vehicle fuse box over time. Accordingly, the need has arisen for a means that permits the easy and rapid disabling of interior lights on a Jeep TJ® when the doors are removed. The development of the present invention fulfills this need.
Several attempts have been made in the past to develop a vehicle fuse box deactivating system for enabling an operator to selectively bypass at least one vehicle function enabled by an existing vehicle fuse box while at least one door of the vehicle is detached therefrom. U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,267 in the name of Yeoman, et al discloses a light fixture with a light that is electrically controlled by a magnetic switch positioned about the juncture between a door or movable cap and the frame such that the light may be switched on when the door or cap is away from the frame and the light may be switched off when the door or cap is closed next to the frame. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not allow a user to remove the doors of a vehicle and at the same time prevent the vehicle lighting circuit from being activated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,978 in the name of Hayakawa, et al discloses a junction box whose total size is reduced without reducing the areas necessary for accommodating fuse receptacles and relay receptacles. The body of the junction box is preferably a flat rectangular parallelepiped. On the first face thereof, there are integral relay receptacles, preferably adjacent one side in a single vertical row. On the opposite face, there is a plurality of fuse receptacles located adjacent the opposite side of the junction box and thereby spaced apart laterally from the relay receptacles. Those fuses which are relatively near to the relay receptacles are for apparatus which is not operated continuously, such as a rear windshield wiper, cigarette lighter, etc. On the four sides of the body are provided the locking members with which the junction box is fixed to the base, usually the chassis of an automotive vehicle. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not provide a means of attaching a switch that allows a user to selectively activate and deactivate the fuse(s) necessary to respectively activate and deactivate a vehicle lighting system when the vehicle doors are removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,526 in the name of Read describes an open door warning system for a vehicle that includes an open door detector mounted on the vehicle, which detects when the door is left open, and a light module mounted on a side of the vehicle and operatively coupled to the detector. The light module is preferably aligned with a driver side rear view mirror so that the driver can view the light module through the rear view mirror. The light module includes a light source which is driven by the detector to generate a flashing warning light when the door is left open. This warning light can be seen by the driver through the rear view mirror and thereby be warned of the open door situation. The detector includes a magnetically actuated switch controlled by a magnet attached to a top edge of the door. The switch is mounted on the vehicle to be juxtaposed to the magnet when the door is closed. The switch is coupled to a power module which includes a light driver circuit, a rechargeable battery pack, and a solar cell to keep the battery pack charged. The light driver circuit is coupled to the light module to transmit a warning signal thereto, which in turn causes the light module to flash. Unfortunately, this prior art example warns a driver of an open door, but also does not provide a means whereby a user can selectively activate and deactivate a vehicle lighting system when the doors are removed from the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,822 in the name of Polizzi, et al discloses an apparatus mounted to a vehicle door that has a pull strap by which the occupant may pull the door closed. A lamp is mounted on the door at a position generally outboard and concealed behind the pull strap. The pull strap is vertically located in relation to the occupant and the lap in a position so that light emanating from the lamp is directed onto the occupant lamp for reading when the door is closed and, simultaneously, shielded from shining into the occupant's eyes by the pull strap. When the door is swung open, the light shines down on the roadway. Unfortunately, this prior art example provides lighting to an occupant via an attached door, and does not allow a user to selectively activate and deactivate a vehicle lighting system while the doors are removed via a switch attached to an existing vehicle fuse box.
None of the prior art particularly describes a vehicle fuse box deactivating system for enabling an operator to selectively bypass at least one vehicle function enabled by an existing vehicle fuse box while at least one door of the vehicle is detached therefrom. Accordingly, there is a need for a device which provides such features while overcoming the above-noted shortcomings.